1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to platforms and shelves for vehicles and more particularly to a removable cargo shelf assembly for the rear cargo area of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mini-vans, utility vehicles, recreational and conventional vehicles may have large cargo areas which are under-utilized because of an inability to adapt the area to a user's needs.
Several deck/panel systems have been proposed to enhance the utility of the cargo space of vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,709, issued to R. L. Huber, discloses an auxiliary vehicle deck. The deck includes tubular legs that are attached to the lower surface of the deck.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,555, issued to A. Hashimoto, relates to a foldable panel for an automobile vehicle in which two plates are interconnected via hinge pins each having two parallel spindles which are respectively rotatably received in cylindrical envelopes formed in reinforcing members fixedly attached to the plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,034, issued to G. Beggs, discloses a folding platform for a vehicle comprising a first series of panels and a second series of panels which may be unfolded within the vehicle to form load carrying shelves or a platform which may be used to support a mattress. The first series of panels, one of which is affixed to a shaft, rotate as a unit with a shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,291,520, issued to A. M. Smith discloses a storage deck for a vehicle which comprises opposed ledge-forming members fixedly secured to sidewalls at a level spaced upwardly above the storage deck.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,248, issued to J. A. Lown, discloses the use of guide blocks for sliding a platform in and out.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,097, issued to C. W. Broehl, discloses the use of brackets affixed to the automobile to support an auxiliary surface.
The aforementioned devices are generally bulky and often require various forms of permanent attachment to the automobile.